Cultural Producer Call-out: Exeter's Window Arts Commission
The Brief
The Arts & Events team at Exeter City Council working with Liveable Exeter and Exeter Culture are seeking to commission an experienced Cultural Producer to project manage and deliver a two-dimensional piece of art work that can be displayed in the shop window of an empty retail unit. The retail unit and time scale that it can be displayed in are not yet defined.
A key component of this project is to work with local communities.
Outputs must:
Give consideration to your local community and place-shaping.
Use art to create attractive, prosperous and stronger communities, where people want to visit, live, work and be active.
Be two-dimensional with a strong visual impact, a lure for passers-by. It can be presented behind the glass but must be easily transported to another shop window / exhibition space if necessary.
Be easily visible from the street, 24 hours a day. The empty shop will be accessible for the artist and technicians to install and de-install.
Use sustainable materials, e.g. upcycled, recycled where possible.
Be delivered within the budget, with the shop windows and retail spaces returned to their original state on completion of the commission.
Adhere to H&S regulations.
The Budget
There is a maximum budget available of £4,000 to include all fees and expenses.
A separate budget will be made available of up to £4,500 to support with the associated production costs which will include: venue hire and materials for workshops, installation costs and marketing support. We would ask that you include a draft budget for this as part of your proposal.
Timeline
Once the Cultural Producer has been appointed, the Arts & Events Team will meet with the Producer to agree a project plan and associated timeline. We have included a draft timeline as follows although the dates for installation are changeable.
Callout deadline – Midnight on 18 August
Awards Panel convene and shortlisted applicants contacted – w/c 21 August
Information discussions with shortlisted applicants – early September
(N/B this is subject to change depending on availability of the panel and the artists)Project and workshops commence – September 2023
Completed work installed – date to be confirmed in October/November
De-installation – date to be confirmed
Further information
We would like your proposal to be on no more than two sides of A4. Please include an outline of your idea as part of your proposal and email your proposal to Sophie Constant: sophie.constant@exeter.gov.uk by Midnight on Friday 18 August 2023.
The award process will consider:
How your experience is relevant.
How you would utilise the budget e.g. number of days work and activities.
How you propose to explore and develop a brief in a way that empowers and works with local communities.
Which communities you wish to work with and how you intend to reach/enlist those communities.
Up to FOUR shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an informal discussion to learn more about their practice and their suggested project. These discussions will be conducted remotely in early September and there is a fee of £50 to attend. Selected projects will then be publicly announced in September.
Award criteria
While there is always a degree of subjectivity in the award of arts commissions, the panel will be working to the following criteria:
The artist (or artists if a collective) is/are based in Devon.
Existing practice demonstrates a strong interest and use in two-dimensional media, with a distinctive style and voice that would be well-suited to a public arts commission.
Genuine interest and experience in working with communities.
The artist has a successful track record in creative project delivery and installation, including collaborating with partners, as well as time- and budget-management.
Screen-based and moving image work will be considered with the caveat that all equipment and technical costs must be included in the budget.
Context
Exeter has been given Cultural Compact status, which delivers cross-sector engagement and helps unlock opportunities to those working in the cultural sector. The Cultural Compact is funded by Arts Council England.
The purpose of the funding is to support ongoing delivery of Exeter’s Cultural Strategy, which is founded on the city’s ambition to be known nationally and internationally as a city of culture, innovating and leading in the areas of the environment, wellbeing, cultural literacy, creative making and heritage innovation to build a living city where everyone thrives. This project builds on the previous Trade & Exchange Project.
About Exeter City Council
Exeter City Council has outlined five key strategic priorities in the Corporate Plan 2022-2026. These enable us to focus on and invest in issues that are of national concern, are important to the city and its communities, and which reflect political priorities:
1. Prosperous local economy
2. Healthy and active city
3. Housing and building great neighbourhoods and communities
4. Net zero carbon city
5. Thriving culture and heritage
The deadline for submissions is Midnight on Friday 18 August 2023.
Should you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact Sophie Constant, Arts & Events Lead, Exeter City Council via email sophie.constant@exeter.gov.uk